Method of making molded and stiffened shoe quarter assembly



March 23, 1954 w. F. HERLIHY METHOD OF MAKING MOLDED AND STI FFENED SHOE QUARTER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 19 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wilda? zz Her-[0'12 rlw llwv March 23, 1954 HERUHY 2,672,632

W. METHOD OF MAKING MOLDED AND STIFFENED SHOE QUARTER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 19 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fwezwor William Z $21M Patented Mar. 23, 1 954 METHOD OF MAKING MOLDED AND STIFF- ENED SHOE QUARTER ASSEMBLY William F. Herlihy, Havcrhill, Mass., assignor to 2 Lowell Counter Company, Lowell, Mass., a copartnership Applic'ation October 19, 1951, Serial No. 252,081

1 Claim. 1

This invention pertains to footwear and more especially to a new and improved method of making a pre-shaped stiffened end portion, for instance the quarter portion of a shoe, and to a stage product useful in the practice of said method.

With particular reference to the quarter portion of a shoe, for example, customary practice, in making such a quarter portion, is to stitch together those parts of the outer ply of the upper material which are to be included in the quarter (together with liner parts, if used) and then to assemble a stiffener or counter with these parts of the upper, the quarter, with its stiffener, then being shaped during heel lasting. If a premoulded counter be employed, the lasting operation must conform this stiff counter, as well as the upper, material to the end contour of the last and if the upper material be heavy or inflexible this is a very difficult task to accomplish. It has been proposed to subject the quarter and stiffener to a die moulding operation preparatory to lasting, thereby to impart to the quarter a shape at least approximating that of the heel end of the last and thus to facilitate the actual lasting operation, or in the case of a slip-lasted or California type shoe to give the quarter its final shape.

Die moulding has many advantages, particularly in the manufacture of slip-lasted shoes in which a stiffener is employed but in order that the shoes may have the desired final shape care must be exercised in the assembly of the stiffener with the upper material and in keeping the parts properly positioned in introducing the material between the dies. Moreover, the rear end of the quarter is internally concave and when a conventional counter (counters usually being made in only a few sizes) is placed within the cavity of the upper material and is subjected to pressure, there is a tendency (unless the dies happen to be of the exact size of the counter) to wrinkle or pleat the material, resulting in a shoe which is uncomfortable to the wearer.

It has heretofore been proposed adhesively to unite outer material, stiffener material and liner material to form a laminar sheet and then to cut from this sheet the quarter blank which is thereafter die moulded. But this procedure is limited, so far as I am aware, to the manufacture of open shank shoes and is not practically. applicable to' the manufacture of such shoes in which the quarter and vamp are directly connectedto each. other prior to the introduction of a last. 1 J r The .present invention contemplates the :provision of a counter liner and stiffener, as a unit, useful in the manufacture of shoes according to any conventional practice, but which is particularly useful in making shoes according to systems wherein the quarter of the shoe is shaped by die moulding either prior to or as a substitute for lasting, The practice of the present invention insures the accurate placing of the stiffener with reference to the outer ply of the quarter; it insures a quarter liner and stiffener devoid of wrinkles; makes it possible to prepare the outer ply of the quarter in accordance with customary procedures and using any desired material without reference to the kind'or color of the quarter lining; and

the attachment of the quarter lining to the outer ply in accordance with usual conventional practice, and the union of the quarter to the vamp portion of the upper in conventional manner. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe of a conventional type; c

Fig. 2 is an inside view of the quarter of a shoe such as that shown in Fig. 1, having a quarter lining and stiffener according to the present invention, but before assembly with other parts of the shoe upper;

Fig. '3 is a plan view of a tip lining with associated stiffener which may be employed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view to small scale of a sheet of laminate material useful in the practice of the: invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section, to larger scale,. onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view-of a laminate quarter lining and stiffener blank in accordance with the present. invention viewed from the side at which the stiffener material is exposed; I

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the opposite side of the blank; p v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section, to larger scale,

substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the combined counter lining and stiffener of Fig. 6, but after the top and lateral margins have been reduced in thickness;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section, to larger scale, on the line I [I-l 0 of Fig. 9; 1

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the blank as having all of its margins reduced in thickness; 1

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic front view,showinz ing and stifiener in accordance with the present:-

invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeralz lt indif-rcates a shoe as illustrative of an article of foot-' wear to which the present inventiomman 'appltc 151,

The illustration of the shoe is more or-less diagrammatic and without attempting to show the details of the bottom construotion.,: itv bei g. understood that the invention is applicable to the manufacture of shoes of conventional types; in--- eluding California or slip-lasted shoes. The shoe asillustrated has the vampzportiom Zathe-quarter portion 3, the outer sole liand: the heel 5. As. illustrated herein, the quarter portion, aside from the combined lining and" stiffener: element. of the present invention, consists: on aslngle ply ofmar. terial; for exampleleather, this; outer ply. being finished at its: upper edge as shown at. 6.. The

composite counter or quarterlinerfl ofthepress. ent invention is permanently secured to: the outerply' 3 of= the quarter by sewed seams. 82. extending around the lateral and upper margins of the combined quarter-liner and stifiener:

In accordance with the, present. invention. the composite counteror quarter lining. and stiffener; is made by first providing or preparing a. lam: inate sheet 9 (Fig. 4%) I of'any. desired extent com prising a: ply F tFi'g. Q5 of flexible, lining. mate rial; which maybe a textile fabric; thinleather;

orthe-like, and a play: S of stifiening materialv which; as here illustrated ll ig. '5 is-.-united1 to:; the ply F byarr'interposed layer orcoating A of. adhesive. The sti fiener ply. Smay be of. the usual materials employedfor' stifiening: the

end portions of a shoe upper, but shouldibeot-a type which is inherently: capable-oi becoming plastic or mou-ld'able when subjected to proper treatment. Thus 'it may-bee thermoplastic'rmae terial on a material which 'becomes:= soft-x andmouldable when treated with a volatile solvent, such materials being: commonly: employed; in makingshoecounters or stifieners; Such a thermo-plastic material commonly employed"-m' shoe part stifieners is a-compound of 'montanwax and hard asphalt as disclosed, forinstance, the patent to Beckwith, 1,124,835. A solventhsoftened material'commonlyusedas a shoe sti fiener is Celluloid which may be soitenedby-dippingin; acetone;- Shoe counters of this -material are commonly sold as Celastic counters. lfde'sired" the laminate sheet-9' may be made bycoatingthe fabric ply F with a spreadable stifie'ner substance (for example in a pasty state. either from heating or the employment or a volatilesolventiwhich; without interposed adhesive; will firmly adhere to theflin'er ply F; Onespreadablestiff i: enersubstance isdextrose glue- -seethe patent toMahler, 1;640,362'-thismaterialbeingsoftened: by water treatment. Another stiffener material: used in box toes and the like is gum shellac-which. may be softened by alcohol; and anotherris asphalt which may be soitened byheatzq. .Usue ally if the: ply 'S" is-thermoplastic; it will; consist of fibrous: material" impregnated I'with asuitable binder such as described in the above patentltoi. Hechwithn W Having prepared the laminate sheet 9, blanks 1 (Fig. 4) may be cut from this sheet, for example, by the use of dies in a dinking or clicking machine. Desirably, the blanks are out in such a way as to economize the material to the optimum extent. As shown in Fig. 6, one of the blanks; l thus-cut, from-athez sheet: material is more-or less trapezoidal inishape having the upper edge Ill, the sloping lateral edges ll and I2 and the lower edge l3, the latter preferably having,.a;no.tc h. M. at, itsmidpoint. While this particul'ar' shQDQ. of blank is desirable it is to be understood that'the blank may be of any desiredx'contour in accordance with the style of shoe-tabe-madti and the extent to which the stiffener is to cover the inner surface of the quarter; Tlldedges-of this blank as cut from the sheet 9 will be substantially square edges (Fig. 8) of thef ull'thickness of the sheet material. Having prepared such a blank; its margins, or at least some. of; its margins, are; thinned. downs usua l by av skiving operationsogthatthecdgos are-boys eledias: shown atM: tFig; 1Q); Theskiving; oper.

ation. removes: all. of. the. stifiener; material fiery ax distanceinwardly from the extreme. dge. ofi'zhfi: blank and usually removes a portion of the; fabricv B so that. the thinned. edgedportlon the liner iabric'becomes. very. lexible. and 'Ilcaclily moulding operation, the. blank: is; to be; provided:

with an= attaching.- flange; along. its;.loweniedgo5; i134. it being desirable .thatzsuchafiangmhciofi the; tull. thickness of the material. the blank, asshown. ain't. tFigr lilz). tog-be.- useda in a shoe where a bottom-fianga'isi noti desired; (for instanc'e in aflaliitorniatypegshoe) thencthez' margin alongthe: loweredge willzbe thinned. down to: make it; penetrable by; asewing needle. in securing thelowenmiflgintoaazsnck lining anet. wrapper'strip.

After theiblanlc-hastbeen-reducedi to the tom;

shown ineithersofrl figs; eaori Il" iti'sqassemble dl withthe: outerply of thenuarter; with ihesthfa ener ply or layer S in contact with the innerasursa face of the outer ply of. quarter material: 1 It may-"be desired to coatthe' exposed surfaced-2 the stiitener ply. Sxwith ad hesive, asshown atlk (Fig. 1%). before assembling it :with the outersply ofthe quarter. Inany event the combinedfistifi-tx enenand liner-memberis securedfpermanentlyi to the-quarter'- by: the sear'nsn a" (Fig. 2)., whose stitches fpass through the: thinned margimM' of; the lining ply: F"andthrodghtthe-outer ply oi? the? quarter;-: usually without. passing through the stifiener ply SI In the operation" of combining quarter itiisonly necessary-to handle t wo piw'es; because the liner andl stifiener i form :a. single unitary: structure, and this unit is readily ass sociated with the quarter-in theproper position-t and -stitched to the quarter-with thesame tacility and employ-ing the same procedure as irristitchs" mg the usual unsti iren'ed counter-diner element? to the quarter port-ion cf'a shoe upperi Thus difli'cul-ty is 1 experienced" in placing the "stifienei in the exaot desired position onin' holding itziini this :position; during the lasting'operatiom :1.

Afterrthe; outer ply: of the-quartertndl.thecome 1 posite m1P haiYeithuSffbBn 'perinanentlv;

the quarter may be.assembledzwithandzstiteh iil 1 the:ramni.itsdesirediandathm subieetedta th On .the olihen hand; a,

the stiffener andj moulding operation, or the quarter may first be moulded before it is united to the vamp. This moulding of the assembled quarter and quarter lining may be carried out by the use of the usual machine and dies employed for moulding counters. Thus in Figs. 12 and 13, the outer dies of such a machine are indicated at D and D and the inner die at D Preparatory to moulding the stiffened portion of the quarter, it may be mulled or otherwise treated to soften the stiffener material. If the stiffener is of the type that requires a solvent, the solvent will be applied at this time. If the stifiener is of thermoplastic material, preparatory softening may not be necessary since the dies of the moulding machine will be heated so as to soften the thermoplastic material while the moulding operation is taking place. Instead of thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material may be employed which is normally soft and amenable to moulding treatment but which will become shape-retaining when subjected to the action of the heated dies.

Whatever the material employed and whatever the treatment adopted, the result of the entire operation is to provide a shoe quarter moulded to the final shape which the heel end of the shoe upper is to have in the completed shoe and requiring no further shaping in lasting, and which has stiffening material properly positioned and capable of retaining the shape imparted to it during moulding during the wear of the shoe.

While the operation has thus far been described with reference to the quarter portion of the shoe, it is obvious that the toe portion of the shoe may similarly be shaped and stiffened. Thus as illustrated in Fig. 3, a combined tip liner and stifiener T is illustrated comprising the stillener ply S and the liner ply F these plies being united in the same way as the plies F and S above described, and having the margin M skived to make it flexible. This tip stiifener will be associated with the vamp 2 in the same way that the quarter stifiener is associated with the quarter, as above described, and permanently secured to the vamp by stitches 8* extending through the flexible margin M of the tip stiffener.

While certain desirable steps and materials have herein been described by way of example it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

That method of making a shoe quarter assembly for use in a shoe which has a closed shank portion and a stiffened counter portion, said method comprising as steps providing aflat composition counter-stiffener blank, said blank including a ply of relatively dense and hard stiiiene1 material and a ply of relatively soft and flexible lining material adhesively bonded together, the upper and lateral margins of said blank being so beveled as to provide a feather edge portion consisting of the flexible ply only, providing a shoe quarter, associating the flat stiffener blank with said quarter so that the ply of stili'ener material is opposed to the inner surface of the quarter and with adhesive interposed between them and with the vertical median line of the stiffener blank accurately registering with the vertical median line of the quarter, permanently uniting the stiffener blank to the quarter by a sewed seam which extends along the beveled margin of the stiffener blank and whose stitches pass through the quarter and the feather edge portion only of the stiffener blank, softening the stiffener material, moulding the assembled and united quarter and stiffener blank to provide a shaped and stiffened quarter assembly having side walls which integrally and smoothly merge with a wall and which, in vertical planes at least, have substantially the exact curved contour of the counter portion of the shoe to be made when the latter is fully completed.

WILLIAM F. HERLIHY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 503,614 Packard Aug. 22, 1893 1,640,362 Mahler Aug. 30, 1927 1,681,257 Ricks Aug. 21, 1928 2,217,274 Hartwell Oct. 8, 1940 2,344,458 Calella Mar. 14, 1944 2,360,951 La Chapelle Oct. 24, 1944 

